Small is beautiful

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the economist EF Schumacher. In his book Small is Beautiful, published in 1973, he argued for a new form of economics "as if people mattered". He talked about environmental sustainability – the need for us to rethink our obsession with consumption so that future generations might live within the limits of the planet's resources. Work should be a means of personal development and drawing communities together. He said the principle purpose of economics should be the establishment of fulfilling livelihoods for all. Given today's global financial, energy and food crises, climate change, growing inequality and social tensions, perhaps now is a good time to revisit his work?

• You rightly endorse the strength of Dag Hammarskjöld's leadership of the UN (Editorial, 15 August). Now, 50 years after his still unexplained death, there is increased international examination of his role, including a conference at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, on 2 September.

Dr Mandy Banton

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

• I once had a 78 rpm record of Ravel's Bolero (Letters, 16 August). It was an enjoyable recording but later at a live performance of the piece I was shocked to learn it had a key change just before the end! HMV had omitted this last section as it wouldn't fit on the record.

Michael Short

St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex

• Another contender for classical music's "Louie Louie" ( is Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War, with its rhythmic pounding of the strings. Iron Maiden began concerts with it: a YouTube recording has an audience clapping along in frightening unison.